The Youngs, America’s most venerable (advertising) demographic, are having their first sexytimes at older ages, a new study that quizzed 15-24-year-olds on their penetration activities finds. Data compiled from 13,495 people between 2006-08 by the National Survey of Family Growth, billed as “the largest federal survey of sexual health and sexual behavior,” found “27 percent of young men and 29 percent of young women ages 15 to 24 say they’ve never had a sexual encounter. That’s compared to 2002, when 22 percent of both men and women said they had never had any sort of sex.” Fine. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE HOMOGAYGAYS?
The researchers took pains to separate a person’s sexual activity from his or her sexual identity. Women said they had more same-sex experiences than men, with 12.5 percent of women reporting a same-sex encounter, compared to 5.2 percent of men. Women are also more likely to say they are bisexual, with 3.5 percent of women identifying themselves that way, compared to 1.1 percent of man. By contrast, about the same number of men and women identify themselves as homosexual or gay: 1 percent of women and 1.7 percent of men.
Here come the disillusioned: Only 1 percent of women and less than 2 percent of men call themselves gay???
Actually, that statistic doesn’t surprise me much. We are, after all, talking about sexual identity, and identifying as gay or lesbian — literally, choosing those words to describe yourself — still doesn’t happen for many homos during the 15-24-year-old phase. That, and we all know about research’s common dilemma: plenty of folks who might identify as gay may not do so when asked by a scientist. (Though impressively, researchers did take steps to avoid that possibility: “When it’s time for the most delicate questions, the interviewer hands her laptop to the subject, who then listens to the questions on headphones.”)
And as we all know, just because you have gay sex doesn’t make you gay (… is what I tell straight guys).
How about we take this to the next level?
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McMike
Actually I think this article, again, has the facts wrong. If I’m not mistaken, that 5% number is men through 40-something.
btw, this is the biggest bunch of bullshite ever. Only 5%??? This, of course, was done under the Bush administration. And now we get only 1.7% are gay and only 1% are bisexual. I’m sorry but this is the biggest pile of bullshite crap I’ve ever read.
It really just irks me this study is coming out and how some people will take these numbers as facts. I would be the farm if you had five 40-something year old men and asked them if they’ve ever had another guy touch their Johnson, at least 4 of them would raise their hand.
Francis
Um, no survey done on questions such as this will ever be accurate. People lie about these things. Especially men.
Jen
Christopher Hitchens would like to weigh in.
Hedonism at Oxford
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7358652n
justiceontherocks
The 76 year old in Colorado is going to be very unhappy because – survey says – 36% of females and 44% of males ever had anal sex with an opposite-sex partner.
sam
yeah, having lived in two boarding schools…
i call shenanigans
McMike
Wow, now I get why the results in this survey are so bogus (and, hence, why we’re getting the numbers from the Bush administration):
“Of course, people don’t always tell the truth when asked about touchy subjects like oral sex or same-sex relationships. That’s a big issue, because the data from surveys like this one is used to direct funding and other resources to health care deliver and public-health campaigns.”
I kept scratching my head trying to figure out why the results would be so low and now, via the GOP, it makes perfect sense….
McMike
OMG! The more I read about this survey the more I’m just baffled. They actually went around to people’s houses and were asking people if they would take part. There are so many problems with this it’s unreal.
1st off, I bet it’s major suburbia, so let’s go to 17 year old Jimmy’s house and ask him point blank, while he’s in the closet and deathly afraid of anyone finding out, if he’s screwing the boy next door.
UNREAL!
And here I thought the CDC calling people’s houses was insane but actually going around to people’s houses and asking them??? WTF?
btw, sorry, but the more I think about this survey the more it pisses me off because supposedly gays and lesbians make up only 1% of the population and the government is going to use this number to decide how much money our health concerns should get…
Jeffree
As out as I am, I’m pretty sure I would refuse to answer this survey w/o knowing just how the #s get used and by whom PLUS if personal identifying info such as name or address was being tracked.
Just filling out the SO questions while the survey person looks away is a ruse, because they’ve already entered my age, address, gender etc.
Shannon1981
I call BS on this one. People lie about this shit. It’s hardly accurate. They should know better.
Ken
One of the things I remember from college is that what people say in response to a survey and what they really do are often… well… kinda different (shall we say?).
When past surveys of the number of teenagers who claimed to be virgins were compared with CDC reported statistics of teens who’ve contracted STDs during the same time period, it was noted that a surprising number of virgins were obviously being treated for infections. (Sort of similar to all those 100 percent faithful heterosexual married couples that also managed to contract STDs.)
Things that make ya go… hmmmmmm.
jason
This is a crap survey which attempts to make male homosexuality seem small and insignificant. It also appears that many young American men are still too ashamed to admit to same sex feelings. I blame American women.
BamBam
aww, c’mon Jason. You know you wanna say more. Don’t tell me your burned out with misogyny?
Enron
I would lie about my sexuality in this survey and I am not lying.
Sam
Something’s not right…I’ve done more than 5.2% men myself, lol.
christopher di spirito
I have to wonder if that 5.2% number includes all the guys who go to adult bookstores to get their fucksticks drained through glory holes?
Surely it can’t.
Otherwise, that 5.2% would be 35%. Just keeping it reals.
Ted B. (Charging Rhino)
Obviously they used the Frat-boy definition of “gay” sex, “…it’s NOT gay sex unless the cock’s in your ass…and he kissed you afterwards”. Everything else is just “good, drunken fun” between straight boys.
jason
Many young men won’t tell their parents or their peers that they are interested in same-sex activity. I don’t see how they’re going to tell the CDC.
This CDC survey belongs in the trash can. All it will do is give fuel to conservatives who will quote the 1% figure to try to render us insignificant, and thus not worthy of civil rights.
jason
Here is the email of the person who conducted this homophobic sex survey:
[email protected]
I’m in the process now of writing an email to her. Please do so yourselves. We have to let these “scientists” know that their methods are flawed and don’t account for the fact that many men hide their same-sex attractions due to the stigma against male-male sexuality.
jason
Here is the text of the email I just sent to the researcher who conducted this flawed sex survey:
Dear Anjani,
I was astounded as to the poor methodology and over-extended conclusions in your recently reported study on the sexual behavior of young Americans. In my view, you grossly under-report the presence of same-sex feelings and identities in young people, particularly men.
You ought to know that many men in America do not tell their parents nor do they tell their peers about their same-sex feelings. I don’t see how they’re going to tell you. Your methods are childish and simple and do not account for the fact that, unlike skin color, sexual feelings can be hidden. I believe you have grossly undermined your own study by failing to sufficiently consider the role of stigma in how men identify themselves publicly to their parents, peers and researchers.
I have contacted a number of gay websites wherein I have exposed your study as the flawed piece of work that it is. I have also suggested that you may have given fuel to conservatives who seek out data like yours to validate their homophobic campaigns against the civil rights of gay and bisexual Americans, men in particular.
Yours Sincerely,
Jason
onehundredeight
Those people are called slutty, and most of them would screw anything with a hole in it. And wanting to have them identify as bisexual or gay is grossly unfair to anybody who is, because really, a lot of these people are “experimenting” a.k.a looking for attention.
Cam
@jason: said…
”
Many young men won’t tell their parents or their peers that they are interested in same-sex activity. I don’t see how they’re going to tell the CDC. ”
_______________
EXACTLY!
Jeffree
@jason: Well done on sending the letter. Using the word “childish” was a bad choice, but at least you avoided your favorite word “sleazy.”
We’ll be sending a letter too, focused on their sampling methodology and data extrapolation, both of which are flawed.
Marcus
That survey doesn’t make a lick of sense.
Hj
The survey results are not surprising. There’s always been more bi women than men. Men are usually oriented one way or the other. Not a lot of in between.